Disclaimer at Chapter I
Chapter IV
As the rain fell more ferociously, the raindrop became bigger. Sakuragi
shivered but he did not move from his position. He could not move from his
position, he could not risk the life of his Kaede and let the rain get to
him. So, he continued to shield the kitsune from the rain using his own
body, well, he had no other thing, did he? And there wasn't any shelter in
sight either.
Then he heard a car rumbling along the lane. He wanted to run out to stop the car and ask the driver to provide them a ride to a nearby shelter. But if he did, Rukawa would be in the rain. Unexpectedly, the car stopped right beside them. Out stepped a young man of around 25.
"Aa. You must be Sakuragi-san. Rukawa-san has being talking to me about you a lot. Is that Rukawa-san? What happened? I'm sorry for coming late, I don't know which way to go," said the young man upon seeing the dark-haired boy under Sakuragi's body's shield. "Quick, get out off the rain."
Sakuragi lifted Rukawa from the ground and by bending his body, he could still provide shelter to Rukawa, partially if not fully. And he hoisted Rukawa into the car.
As Sakuragi sat in the car, with Rukawa still in his arms, he felt nauseous and his head felt heavy. Slowly, his conscious ebbed away from him and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
He did not know how long he had slept but when he opened his heavy eyelids, he found himself lying on a soft bed, in a dark room. He tried moving his body, but all his limps ached and he moaned from the pain.
"Umm. Kuso. What's wrong with me? Where am I? The last thing I remember was holding that kitsune, sitting in his car," Sakuragi mumbled.
"Do'aho! Don't move, you're sick, you should rest." A low, gentle and soothing voice traveled to his ears.
"Huh? Kitsune? Why are you here? I'm sick? How can the Tensai be sick? Ouch!" Sakuragi winced when he tried to sit up in his bed.
"Do'aho!" Rukawa commented in a "I-told-you-so" tone.
"Humph! Baka kitsune! Where am I anyway? How come you are here? Aren't you sick? I mean, you were burning hot when you fell asleep at the roadside." Sakuragi asked.
"This is my house. You are in my guest room. When I woke up in the car, YOU fell asleep and YOU were the one having a high fever. I've heard from Sato what you've done. You're really a do'aho! What are you gaping at?"
"You! That's the longest speech I've ever heard you make!" Sakuragi stared in awe.
"Do'aho!" Rukawa snorted. "So, why did you shield me? Didn't you hate me?"
"Well, I can't leave you at the roadside and suffer in the rain... I'm the Tensai so I'll do what I have to do..."
"That's your real reason?" Rukawa cut in.
"Well..." Sakuragi started, but he himself did not knew why. Did he hate Rukawa? His thought drifted back to that instant when he made up his mind to shield Rukawa. I need to protect my Kaede... my kitsune...
Then he heard a car rumbling along the lane. He wanted to run out to stop the car and ask the driver to provide them a ride to a nearby shelter. But if he did, Rukawa would be in the rain. Unexpectedly, the car stopped right beside them. Out stepped a young man of around 25.
"Aa. You must be Sakuragi-san. Rukawa-san has being talking to me about you a lot. Is that Rukawa-san? What happened? I'm sorry for coming late, I don't know which way to go," said the young man upon seeing the dark-haired boy under Sakuragi's body's shield. "Quick, get out off the rain."
Sakuragi lifted Rukawa from the ground and by bending his body, he could still provide shelter to Rukawa, partially if not fully. And he hoisted Rukawa into the car.
As Sakuragi sat in the car, with Rukawa still in his arms, he felt nauseous and his head felt heavy. Slowly, his conscious ebbed away from him and he slipped into a dreamless sleep.
He did not know how long he had slept but when he opened his heavy eyelids, he found himself lying on a soft bed, in a dark room. He tried moving his body, but all his limps ached and he moaned from the pain.
"Umm. Kuso. What's wrong with me? Where am I? The last thing I remember was holding that kitsune, sitting in his car," Sakuragi mumbled.
"Do'aho! Don't move, you're sick, you should rest." A low, gentle and soothing voice traveled to his ears.
"Huh? Kitsune? Why are you here? I'm sick? How can the Tensai be sick? Ouch!" Sakuragi winced when he tried to sit up in his bed.
"Do'aho!" Rukawa commented in a "I-told-you-so" tone.
"Humph! Baka kitsune! Where am I anyway? How come you are here? Aren't you sick? I mean, you were burning hot when you fell asleep at the roadside." Sakuragi asked.
"This is my house. You are in my guest room. When I woke up in the car, YOU fell asleep and YOU were the one having a high fever. I've heard from Sato what you've done. You're really a do'aho! What are you gaping at?"
"You! That's the longest speech I've ever heard you make!" Sakuragi stared in awe.
"Do'aho!" Rukawa snorted. "So, why did you shield me? Didn't you hate me?"
"Well, I can't leave you at the roadside and suffer in the rain... I'm the Tensai so I'll do what I have to do..."
"That's your real reason?" Rukawa cut in.
"Well..." Sakuragi started, but he himself did not knew why. Did he hate Rukawa? His thought drifted back to that instant when he made up his mind to shield Rukawa. I need to protect my Kaede... my kitsune...